Reverse
by Wildfurion
Summary: After a particularly wild night of drinking with my colleagues ends up in tragedy, I find myself being reborn into the world of Naruto...with the body of a little girl.
1. Reverse I

**Reverse I: Reborn.**

**A/N: So, I've gotten some free time and began reading this Manga called the Saga of Tanya the Evil- about some pretty sociopathic dude being reborn into a little girl, and pretty much wreaking havoc in this world.**

**So I basically decided to make my own Naruto version of it, as I've recently re-read the series. Be ready for some pretty entertaining stuff.**

**Oh yeah, I'm writing shorter chapters- about 5-9k words, instead of the usual 10k stacks.**

**Wildfurion**

* * *

"_Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill"- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto series, I only own this fic._

_Reverse I: Reborn._

* * *

_Prologue_

_In darkness I have departed, and it is in darkness that I make my return._

_An incomparable feeling of warmth and comfort envelops my cold and supine body, as if I were submerged in an ocean so dense and profound- that the water's consistence is close to solid, like gelatin._

_Golden Eyes._

_Watching me through the transparent glass of an incubator, they immediately find mine when I open them. Sinister and mysterious puddles of molten gold, shaped like a viper's and perfectly embedded in the pale, ophidian face of a very thin man. The man's eyes glow in surprise, before he backs away from my limited field of vision._

_What_

_The_

_Fuck_

_I do not remember how I got here-nor do I remember my __**own name**__. Of one thing, however, I'm certain: I should** not** be here._

_I should not even be alive to begin with._

_The depressive effects of alcohol on the human brain are somewhat unpredictable, as they vary from person to person. In my case, a simple night of drinking with colleagues at work-a stressful job in a big metropolis-had an unfortunate ending: ignoring the warnings of a poor beggar, I crossed the highway at the red light ..._

_The last thing I remember is the truck's bumper crumpling my skull before death pulled me into its sweet, loving and eternal embrace. _

_'What is this place?' I observe my surroundings with curiosity and an abnormal calm. The first thing I notice are the multiple intravenous accesses in my arms and jugular, connected directly to the enigmatic machine that makes up the base of the tank; a good look beyond, and I can easily distinguish the murky silhouettes of a laboratory-half hidden by the turbid liquid and darkness. 'A laboratory, right...but whose?'_

_I try to reach out my arms, but it's in vain. 'Wait…what?! My arms ... my hands ... when did they get so small? '_

_To my horror, it was not only they who had shrunken. My legs too, were now nothing but tiny limbs-no trace of the powerful muscles and long, graceful lines I had before. Not only that but ... my body in general seemed to have sharply declined in size. 'The worst is this ... hot feeling, as if my nerves were on fire, but did not burn!'_

_My thoughts speed up to a thousand miles per second, as I search for logical answers to this situation: somehow, I have been able to return from a path with no possible return; something, somebody brought me back from death - I, an adult, was reincarnated in a child's body. A fucking child._

_The impotence I felt at the moment cannot even be described in words. I could not speak, for I would drown in the gooey yellow liquid if I did; I could not move, because the accesses restricted my movements to very small slow gestures; I could not even breathe properly, as a small tube in my windpipe already did the job for me ..._

_The lights come on, and the pale man returns, this time accompanied by another silhouette. This time I can distinguish more of his face, like the high cheekbones, the long, dark hair and the purple markings beneath his eyes. 'He reminds me of someone. Someone I knew ... 'And then he smiles, and I see the snake-like fangs glisten against the white light. 'No, it can't be ...'_

_There, standing little more than a few centimeters from me, is the Viper that would come to haunt the Land of Fire for decades, a villain so perverse, homicidal and dangerous that his mere presence already brings distress. A being whose greed and thirst for power compare with those of Samael himself-a being who, sneakily, seeks to overcome the boundaries between life and death._

_The most evil of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru. The man who, in an endless quest for power, became a serpent._

_'That can mean one thing.' I was reborn as a child ... in the world of Naruto-a world where, in essence, ninjas endowed with supernatural abilities- aka, Chakra- killed one another in the name of a hidden village, for their own pleasure as Kisame did or aiming at complete world domination like the Akatsuki. 'Basically...'_

_A very fun place to be._

_Though I'd watched what…little more than 30 isolated episodes in the anime, I'd read the manga because of an otome girlfriend I had back when I still lived. Making use of this previous knowledge, as well as basic logic and cold, calculating reasoning developed through many years working at a psychiatric clinic, it was quite easy for me to infer what this new body of mind truly is: an experiment created by Orochimaru, a tool to be used in his quest for perfect immortality._

_In darkness I died, and in darkness I am reborn. Will I continue this journey in the dark?_

_Orochimaru taps a few buttons, and, slowly, the incubator begins to empty itself through the drains- when the process is over, I simply stay there, lying on the cold floor, unable to move properly because of the accesses and ... well, I'm a toddler_

"_Finally! Finally! The experiment is a great success, Kabuto." The serpent made man comments with a somewhat creepy grin. Scooping me in his thin arms, he brings me closer- eying my entire person like a child studies a new toy. "Write it: test subject 330126 has survived with no apparent sequels. Project Kannon has been concluded at last."_

"_Indeed." No one less than Kabuto Yakushi- who, besides the white lab coat he wears, looks mostly the same as the one from the Classic anime- replies with a smug grin. The white-haired shinobi marks some info in a technical file, before proceeding with some routine exams: weight, measurements, Moro's, Parachute and Heel-Stick tests, among others._

_"What shall we call her, Master Orochimaru?" _

"_She'll be called Kannon!" Orochimaru announces with a maniac smirk- and, this time, a glimpse of madness can be seen in his eyes. "And she will be the key to our plans…"_

_Yes, that's it. I- a male- was not only reborn in a different world._

_I was reborn as a little girl._

_I **really** should have listened to my mother's opinions on drinking too much._

* * *

Some good four years have passed since then, and I find myself lying in bed- hours before sunrise- with my eyes closed in silent meditation.

Kannon.

Princess Kannon, to be precise. Meaning: in simple words, mercy. It can be written in two Kanji観 (_Mi_), as in _view_, and音 (_Oto_), as in _sound_.

A name chosen by my "father", Orochimaru- as according to him, I was supposed to be Otogakure's _Mercy_, the very Goddess of Death manifested in flesh and bones at the form of a kunoichi. I was his daughter, the only of his creations to be treated as such, and – in the future- would be his most powerful weapon against the Hidden Leaf- the surviving product of many experiments seeking the creation of an ideal ninja.

With the blood of a powerful shinobi clan of old running through my veins and a sharp intellect, I was considered a genius of the caliber of Orochimaru himself, a prodigy born one in a million people. While most children of my age were still entering the Academy, I, now at the sixth year of age - at least physically – already went with the Genin on C-rank missions outside the Village.

And I have to admit, that if it were not for my calculating mentality, I would probably be traumatized - for the first time, I could understand the point of view of beings such as Kaguya, Madara and Indra ...

Humans are evil, that is a fact. Humans with supernatural powers are even worse.

Not that I consider myself particularly benevolent in the first place. In my previous life as a brilliant and renowned Psychiatrist, I had spent a significant part of my time in prisons - dealing with the most serious cases of murderers and serial killers. 'The only difference between me and them is that they had no alternative but evil.' Now that I died, however, nothing prevented me from deviating into darker paths...

Especially when this dark path seemed just too fun to be missed, with all the fighting and jutsus.

'Enough of philosophy, for now ...' With a lazy yawn, I force myself out of the comfortable warmth of the bed, before beginning with the daily stretching routine that an older kunoichi had taught me: although it has less muscle than I am accustomed to, a girl's body is much more flexible and, if well trained - could do well…very interesting things. "It's training time!"

The silk nightgown is rapidly discarded into a basket in the corner of the room, and after a quick, cold shower, I- now fresh and perfumed- swiftly change into a red T-shirt with a swirling white print, draped over mesh armor and combined with loose, black cotton shorts that reach down to my mid thighs. Last but not least, the attire is completed by Otogakure's forehead protector, which I choose to tie around my neck.

"Everything's ready. Now, straight to the training room~!"

A last glance to the mirror, and I can't deny the fact that I look much better now, than I did in my previous life.

Slender, but already manifesting feminine traits, the young, pale girl that everyone knows as Kannon is- indeed- very beautiful for her age. With a heart-shaped face and high cheekbones, her most striking feature is, however, her long, smooth, silken red hair that reaches almost to the lumbar and is kept in place by a small, discreet tiara – of such intense color that it is described by some as a "river of crimson, soft as velvet". Her eyes are of an intense green tone, and very beautiful ... 'Or should I call them _my_ eyes now?'

Honestly, I do not know the answer. All I know is that I am Evil, disguised in the form of a cute little angel. 'I guess little bit of makeup wouldn't hurt ...'

The members of the Shiin clan had been waiting for me for almost a full hour when I finally deigned to appear, and their irritation was palpable-to say the least. Easily recognizable for their special tattoo on the right arm - with the appearance of a purple band circling the humerus three times - those Genin from the small clan of natives to the Land of Sound will be training with me today.

Or better yet, today they will be my punching bags.

"You're late, Kannon-hime-sama." One of them, a teenage boy with light blonde hair and an aquiline nose, comments in a low growl. "We've been here for over forty minutes already."

"Sorry, sorry~" Is my sweet, melodious answer. Although no one in their right mind would suspect reincarnation, acting like a girl when you literally **are** one is the most obvious thing to do. Besides, it's not that difficult. "My hair was particularly rebellious today, so it took me a little longer than expected to tame it ~"

"Well, now that the princess's here…"A bespectacled girl remarks with a confident snicker, drawing on her kunai before defiantly pointing it at my direction. "Shall we begin?"

Not even waiting for a reply, the older kunoichi tosses the dagger at me- with her colleagues soon following with shuriken and other projectiles- hoping to use the element of surprise to strike me down before I could properly react. If it were two years before, when I was still learning the basics of controlling and wielding my chakra from father, then maybe it would have worked…

Now, though, there was no way something as _basic _as this would surprise me.

With a backwards somersault that would have made a professional gymnast fume in envy, I dodge from all the projectiles with the ease and grace only a natural talent could possibly display. None of the blades get even close to graze me, and- taking advantage of their opening- I toss some of my own shuriken towards the closest enemy signatures, not even needing to look at their directions to know they were there.

A muffled groan of pain is the signal that each target's been successfully hit. I grin predatorily. 'Three down, seven to go.'

"Should I wear a blindfold? Or maybe just close my eyes?" I tease with a voice as sweet as a turkish delicacy, yet as poisonous as a viper's venom. "Probably then, you guys can _actually_ land a hit on me~"

Maybe even then, the Sound Genin wouldn't have a chance of actually beating me. Though physically they are older than me, my mind works a thousand times faster and, most importantly…

None of them had been trained by a Legendary Sannin.

"Don't underestimate us, Uzumaki-hime!" a green-haired girl rebukes in pure bravado, before coming for a dynamic kick- basic taijutsu, yet still quite powerful if it hits. I'm swift to dodge, however, and manage to elbow her at the back of the cervix- knocking her out almost instantly.

'Tch, I don't even need to use **that** against such weaklings'

"My tuuurn~" I playfully state after dodging a few more of their strikes- mostly Taijutsu and basic Ninjutsu, though some of them already show some skill. "_Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"_

Placing my right fingers- which form the tiger seal- to my mouth, I proceed to unleash a volley of fire balls onto the seven Genin. Varying from the size of an apple, to some as large as a car, the orbs of concentrated _fire _chakra are nearly impossible to dodge…

'Pathetic.' The result is devastating, to say the least: hit by the full power of my chakra, the seven Sound Genin are knocked out with a single blow. Their uniforms are charred, and some of them would probably be hairless a while…

Claps make themselves hear behind me, and I don't even need to turn to know it is my father that, as usual, observes my practice from the shadows. "Very good, Kannon. Outstanding!" Orochimaru compliments rather enthusiastically, with only his eyes visible in the dark. "You're performing the _Katon_ exactly as I taught you."

Four years have passed since the incubation experiment, and yet Orochimaru has not changed a bit. Apparently, he still has not dissociated himself from the infamous Akatsuki- as his long dark cloak, with the bloody cloud print indicates. The slate blue ring with the "void" (空, kū) Kanji on his left pinky just confirms the facts ...

The serpent made man walks closer and closer, until he can land his cold hand upon my shoulder. I look up to meet his gaze- which, despite the sheer madness in it, does little to scare me. "Today, I'll be training you again." The Sannin states with a grin. "As usual, we'll be testing your limits."

"Alright." I reply with a nod, before following him through a secret passage- one of the many in his hideout, which is pretty much a huge maze.

After about ten minutes of silent walk, we entered a vast underground chamber - just below the great tree that covers the main base of Otogakure. The empty eyes of stone snakes watch us from the walls, lit by the dim light of torches.

No words are said. Orochimaru turns to face me, with an excited smile on his face - and I prepare my kunai. I knew better than to expect mercy from a man like my 'father'.

And then, in just one gesture, the command is given: 'Come.'

I dash towards him, tossing my explosive kunai before jumping to the side and sending my Katon balls directly at the Viper. Never stopping to run, I channel chakra into my feet and climb up the walls- covering myself in a genjutsu to hide my presence- and prepare my defense.

Orochimaru's training methods are harsh, to say the least.

Less than 5 months after my incubation, he began training me as his disciple- or more specifically, as his future weapon. I could barely walk, and spoke only basic words in the archaic form of Japanese they spoke in this world, yet he already forced the basics of Ninjutsu onto me. "I want you to be the strongest when the time comes." Was all he told me when I asked him the reasons why.

After teaching me three or four new techniques, father would usually require a spar- to see how further I progressed. In synthesis, said "spar" was a one-sided beating- prodigy or not, I had yet to have a true chance against him- and more often than not, I'd have to be carried back to bed by Kabuto, knocked out and full of bruises. 'That's usually the time when he does some…tests on me too.'

Those were gruesome, even for a former medic such as me.

'An unpleasing experience, to say the least.' I let out a sigh, knowing it is now Orochimaru's turn to attack. It doesn't take long, and two large, pale serpents jump out off the cloud of dust raised by the explosion. _Jagei Jubaku _is a very convenient technique, which father frequently uses to immobilize me during our spars- though he has yet to teach me how to use it. "Well…guess I have no choice. _Ninpou - Mushou de Hitei_!"

Not holding back on my chakra, I use the technique to form a large cloud of nails in the air bellow me, which I then proceed to rain down on the serpents- completely immobilizing them.

Quickly jumping back down, I try and focus my chakra onto my mouth while father does not come. My eyes never leave his silhouette, surrounded by thousands and thousands of nails- yet with not a scratch on him. 'Keep calm, Kannon.'

And then he comes. I barely see the hand seals he uses before the jutsu is launched at me _"Fuuton: Daitoppa."_

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_ Fire and Wind chakra clash in the gap between us, as my flamethrower collides with his typhoon. I can hear the stone crack and melt under the colossal heat, yet I don't stop pumping chakra into the jutsu. 'Now, father will be coming from…bellow!'

I swiftly leap backwards and- channeling chakra to my feet once more- manage to 'stand' on the wall (parallel to the floor) while maintaining the flames at the same time, redirecting them to where father emerged from the very spot I stood on milliseconds before. 'I'm not falling for the same trick twice!'

Orochimaru would be eating ice cream, before my intellect fails me like _that _one time again.

"Such power…such technique, amazing, Kannon! You're wonderful!" I hear him compliment, even though his body is being charred and burned by my flames. Knowing he wasn't going to actually die anyways, I pump even more chakra into the Goukakyuu- and thankfully, my reserves as a 'Uzumaki' allowed me to do so. "However, you have yet to use _that_\- else you'd have noticed it..."

And it is then, that a familiar pressure makes itself known under my jugular…

The true Orochimaru stands behind me, holding the blade of his sword against my pale neck with a satisfied grin on his lips. "You fell for my Genjutsu, again." He remarks, retrieving his sword back to…wherever he took it from, before releasing me from his grip. "Had you used my gift, you would have lasted a bit longer. I'm disappointed."

Though struggling to suppress a scowl from forming on my face, I had to admit I felt a bit relieved at his…choice, not to go all out on me this time. I'd rather have my throat intact, thank you.

He jumps back to the floor, adjusting his Akatsuki robe as he lands- and I soon follow. "Another mission?" I inquire with cocked brows. None of the fellow members of the organization seem to know the true location of his hideout, besides Sasori of the Red Sand(and only because he allows it). "Kabu-chii will be in command then, I presume."

"Indeed. It seems like Kakuzu killed his partner again. We have been informed of a mysterious cult at the surroundings of Takigakure…"

'Seems like Hidan's joining the band soon.'

"I want you to practice with your Fire Style and train your Genjutsu resistance while I'm away." Konoha's viper orders, poking my forehead with his index and middle fingers. "Once I come back, we'll begin working on your Fuuton. Until then, you may read the theory from the books I have in my lab."

"Understood, father." I reply with a low, respectful bow.

"You're dismissed, Kannon.

With that, Orochimaru leaves, and I soon find myself making the way back to my room.

Built under a gigantic tree in the Land of Sound, the main base of Otogakure is an enormous military complex fortified with vast chambers, garrisons, weapon rooms and laboratories - though the largest of those were still located on separate bases, as father once told me. Orochimaru's private chambers were the largest, and it was where my bedroom is located.

It isn't especially luxurious, but quite comfortable for a criminal's secret base.

Close the large window, which gives me full view to the surrounding forest, there's a large and quite comfortable, puffy bed, with a canopy for some extra privacy; there is also a closet, where my clothes and armor are kept, two armchairs and a bedside table of decent quality; a bookcase full of books and scrolls about ninjutsu and even a small fireplace, probably for when things got cold. Everything is illuminated by chakra-powered torches, which I make sure to feed with my Fire Release, attached to the yellow stone wall by serpent-shaped, wooden supports.

Kabuto - or Harry Potter – is already waiting for me there, sitting in one of the armchairs while reading a book titled General Anatomy of the Tenketsu. Despite the big difference in physical ages, the older boy is a pleasant presence - and probably one of the few truly sane people in Otogakure.

In addition, he was also my constant supply of books-which for the last 3 years have helped me both to hone the mysterious powers of Chakra and to understand more about the general structure of this world. It took a while to adapt my Japanese to a more…Sengoku variant, but it was totally worth the effort.

"Lady Kannon." Kabuto greets with a polite nod. Though I knew he could be a cruel, sardonic bastard at times- the young Medical-nin treated me with politeness and respect, with only a bit of playfulness."I brought you the scrolls you requested earlier this morning."

"Thank you, Kabu-chi!" I reply in the cutest tone I can muster, and may all the gods bless my younger sister for being such a bother all the time- it has never been so helpful. A discreet frown on the forehead is all I get, Kabuto hates my nicknames-but he prefers not to say anything. "How considerate of you~"

If I were an animal, I would be a viper. Just like the _original _Orochimaru, the one from Japanese myths.

"Fuinjutsu huh? May I ask what has aroused such interest, brat? " He inquires with a playful snicker.

"Nothing special, old man."

"You lie, Princess." Kabuto then serves tea in two gcups and hands me one, extra-sweetened with lots of honey and mint. "Speak soon, or I will not bring you any more books for the week."

"Hmmm ... okay ..." Practically throwing myself into bed, I take the time to enjoy the divine taste of the herbs before continuing. "Father's been talking a lot about the Jinchūriki. It's always Jinchūriki that or Jinchūriki that, he talks about them almost as much as he talks about the Sharingan ... "

"I know that Master Orochimaru has developed an interest in the vessels. But what does this have to do with Fuinjutsu? Does the Princess plan to seal a Tailed Beast into her small body? "

"Since I'm one of the last Uzumaki alive, I think it would be wise to expect something like that, right? After all, my family has been the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails for quite a few decades now…"

With that said and already knowing the _other _reason why he came here in the first place, I swiftly proceed to take off my clothes- discarding them to the basket before laying, sweaty and supine, back on bed . Taking the hint, Kabuto gets up from his seat and walks to my side.

Kabuto is a Medical-nin of a caliber never seen since Tsunade. His skill is unrivaled at Otogakure- maybe with the exception of the own Orochimaru- and as such, he usually tests them on me while performing the daily examinations on my body. As a frequent test subject of Orochimaru- especially due to the fact _none _of his experiments seem to be able to kill me- my organism tends to have the most…varied reactions to his meddling with nature.

And most of those do not feel pleasant.

"As it's been three months since the last procedure, today, I'll be performing the surgery to make your body more…malleable. It is called Soft Physique Modification." Kabuto states while adjusting his round glasses- a nervous tic he seems to have. "I'll be injecting a high dose of anesthetics on you, so you may sleep during the procedure. As your body adapts to the modifications, I'll be keeping you asleep for a good part of…six or seven days."

"Do I have a say against it?"

"Sorry, Kannon-hime. Those were direct orders from Master Orochimaru." He then forms shapes his chakra into a small, sharp blade over the palms of his hands. Much unlike the regular scalpels from my world, the chakra scalpel can make cuts **inside** the body without actually creating an open wound, limiting the risks of an infection and allowing for a bloodless procedure. Reason why we often did it on my own bed. "It might feel strange for the first weeks, but you'll soon get used to it."

"Very well. Make this quick, Kabuto." I reply with a glare. Though the nudity and the bodily modifications do little to bother me- this body isn't even mine after all- Kabuto is quite…rough with his hands, especially when it comes to pressing the right tenketsu with the chakra scalp.

Think of it as someone pressing your nervous ganglia…with force.

"Very well, hime-sama."

And, as expected, it wasn't quick.

_Nor painless._

* * *

_**Chapter End.**_

**A/N: Well, that wraps up both the **_**Prologue **_**and the First Chapter of this fic. My plan is to make for a Chaotic Neutral character, who'll mostly just act on his/her own whims.**

**There were a few bugs with my Microsoft Word, so some of the parts were left in the WRONG LANGUAGE. Just fixed it, sorry guys.**

**Reviews are mostly appreciated, I guess.**

**Listening to: Let the flames begin-Paramore.**

**Doing: Reading Naruto, Gold Edition. The manga's damn good.**

**Status: Chilling out in this long break from Med School.**

**Wildfurion**


	2. Reverse II: Red

**Reverse II: Red.**

**A/N: Hey there, Wildfurion here with the second chapter of Reverse.**

**Though relatively new, this story gets me pretty hyped up- especially because well, it's the first time I actually write something about Naruto. I have to admit the number of stories in this tag is pretty much…gargantuan, to say the least. 400k…wow, simply wow. **

**I thought I'd only be able to update this fic monthly, yet I've gotten some free time from College so…yeah, wrote this one sooner than expected. Things will go a bit slowly during this first chapter, until we reach the timeline of the first Naruto anime. Then things will be happening a bit faster.**

**There had been very few views, though that is expected- I guess. Naruto's such a popular anime, so the number of fanfics is pretty huge. I guess this number will only grow as I write more and more chapters, not forgetting about quality of course.**

**I'll be replying to the reviews now.**

**-hinatayvonne: She'll be getting a Summon soon, though defining which chapter is quite difficult.**

**-Autistic Weaboo: Here it is, chapter two ready and proofread. The next one will take a bit longer, as Med School's been quite harsh lately.**

**-ArabellaDoesIt: Thank you. This story's as amusing to me, as it is to you- sometimes I don't believe it actually came off my head. **

**Wildfurion**

* * *

"_Mercy did not exist in the primordial life. It was misunderstood for fear, and such misunderstandings made for death."- Jack London. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto series, I only own this fic._

* * *

_Reverse II: Red._

_Outskirts of Otogakure_

It felt almost as if my body had been trampled by a pack of Indian elephants.

It's been almost three moons since Kabuto performed a complex surgery upon my body- basically dislocating my joints and modifying my tenketsu so that they could innervate their surroundings- in order to give me more flexibility.

'Damn you, Kabuto.'I silently curse him as I feel my metatarsophalangeal joint twisting in a way it wasn't really supposed to do. My entire structure felt as if it had been fused with a jellyfish's, and practically every movement ended up turning awkward. 'To make things worse, father had to send me in a mission.'

Barely managing to dodge a farmer's scythe without a resemblance of my usual grace, I somehow manage to toss a shuriken at the bulky bald man- piercing his external carotid with the sharp blade. He falls down to the ground, and I finish him off using taijutsu.

Kidōmaru's smirk only grows wider as he watches me try and handle the peasants, dazzled by the effects of anesthesia and with my limbs feeling like they might fall off at any minute. Though he surely had my back, the four-armed brat seemed to be having fun watching me suffer. "Any help would be appreciated, Kidōmaru!"

As he had yet to become one of the Sound Five when I came to this world, Kido lies bellow me in the "scale" of power at Otogakure- he had the level of an average Genin, while I had reached Chunin level under Orochimaru's insane training regime. "My, my, Uzumaki-hime-sama." The boy rebukes teasingly, a pair of kunai pressed in between his right index and thumb. "But I can see you're handling them quite well..."

It was his revenge for my…enthusiasm during our spars.

Ignoring the fact Kabuto's surgery had severely weakened me- which wasn't an expected outcome- my father commanded three of his disciples- me, Kidōmaru and Tayuya- to organize a small raid against a farming village neighboring Otogakure.

According to Orochimaru, the Sound Daimyō had previously transferred all of the settlement's taxes directly to the Hidden Village; yet some of the farmers refused to pay tribute, believing it better to store up supplies for the coming winter. 'They forgot one thing, however…nobody says no to Orochimaru and survives.'

The local chief was the first to die. Taken by surprise by Tayuya and me, the old man and his sons never stood a chance- and now added to the growing pile of corpses that formed at the center of the small plaza. Father never specified the death toll, trusting whatever number that could satisfy my thirst for blood was enough.

And I **am **thirsty- though the poor civilians were mere straw men for Kabuto, who was the only one I wished to kill right now.

"You…you monster!" A black-haired man with a mustache furiously charges at me and- to my shock- he has a sword at hand, its blade expanded and reinforced with blue chakra as it came for a killing blow. "Die!"

***Clang***

"Geez, haven't I told you to protect the princess, Kido-roba?" Tayuya snickers, having blocked the man's sword with her kunai. "This sucker's strong, be careful." She then dodges another slash with ease- though the blade does graze her short red hair a bit, before going for a stab of her own. "Do you recognize his sword?"

"A Samurai…but what is he doing here?" I inquire as I focus my chakra onto my mouth. Tossing in a few shuriken as Tayuya distracts the man, I prepare one of my powerful jutsus just in case.

"Probably a retiree from the Daimyō's army. His sword is longer than the average katana, so be careful, Kannon."

"Very well. I'm not holding back then~" I can barely hold my excited grin as I quickly form the sequence of hand seals needed: Mouse → Tiger → Dog → Ox → Rabbit → Tiger → Monkey. "_Katon: Housenka Tsumabeni."_

Breathing my fire chakra onto shuriken, I launch several of them at the enemy- hoping to kill him and end this fight for once. The Samurai's fast for his age, however, and takes a huge leap backwards, dodging all of my projectiles while blocking Tayuya's Ninpou at the same time. 'This guy's good.'

"You won't put me down so easily, brats." The swordsman states with a menacing glare- his dark blue eyes alternating between the three of us. While Kidōmaru opted to stay mostly out of the fight- preferring to watch me struggle against _civilians_\- both Tayuya and I could see the experience in the man's eyes. He was a fighter, and quite a good one- probably a veteran of many battles. "I won't let you do further harm to this village and its people!"

Heroic, isn't he? Excitement burns within me, as I prepare for what's going to be the first decent opponent in weeks.

"I'll cover you both, so make sure to get rid of him!" Kidōmaru says while tossing a kunai at a charging woman with a cutlass.

"Riiiight~" I purr out cutely, though the emptiness in my bright green eyes reveals just how little I care about the deaths around us. There's only one prey: the black-haired Samurai. "Are you ready, Tayuya?"

"Tch…of course I am, Kannon."

"Well then, shall we begin~"

The Samurai charges at both of us, taking advantage of his strength to try and smash Tayuya with brute force. Yet my fellow kunoichi manages to push him back with a powerful kick to the chest, deciding to use Taijutsu to create an opening for my Katon.

"_Ninpou - Mushou de Hitei!"_I attack him with my Ninpou, forcing him to block it with a strong pulse of Chakra from his sword. This leaves his left flank open, however, and my partner stabs him at the thigh with a kunai before backing down. "_Katon: Housenka Tsumabeni!"_

Feeling my reserves beginning to strain after using too much of my Katon against the other villagers, I reduce the scale of my attack to only a few flaming shuriken. The target, however, is not the man, but the dry grass we fight on. With a grin, I make my next move, tossing three bottles of highly flammable oil onto the flames. "Try and block this!"

The result is a gargantuan explosion of flames so hot and destructive; I feel the hairs of my skin being charred. Though it is my natural affinity as Kannon, Fire Release keeps surprising me with its devastating capacity.

'This is it.' I thought, watching as the chakra-powered fire starts to consume the grass surrounding the swordsman. Experienced or not, there was no way such an old Samurai could survive against the flames. "We're done here, Tayu. Let's go back home."

I then turn around my heels and start walking back to Otogakure, ignoring the Samurai's screams of pain as my Katon consumed him. Tayuya watched for some minutes, as the flames consumed the retired swordsman's body before- having lost their supply of chakra- starting to dwindle into embers. She then rushes after me, and is swift to offer me a shoulder once she notices my weird march.

"Very impressive indeed, hime-chan." Kidomaru snickers from his spot on a tree branch- few steps away from the narrow, dark, secret trail we were taking back to the base. "Even when pressed against the wall, she refuses to use her eyes against a lesser opponent. Though…"

"One more word, Kido, and I'll rip your tongue off." I state with a glare, feeling as exhaustion begins to kick in. While my reserves did allow me for some liberties with Chakra spending, the fact was that I ended up facing off against a samurai after burning half of a village during our raid.

"Ohh, I'd like to see you try, Princess."

Before I could answer to his provocation- a sudden presence steals the breath out of me. "Everyone to the ground, now!"

Barely a second later, and I catch a glimpse of an immense sword cutting the air above mine and Tayuya's heads. It is the Samurai, and his entire body glows blue with the chakra he's releasing.

The man had seen better days. The entirety of his left arm was charred, and his sword hand had ugly burns- his face was missing an eye, and looked as if it had been turned into coal. "I'll not allow you to leave unpunished!"

In my confidence, I had underestimated the old man's resilience. The Samurai in this world were as widespread as in ancient Japan, and served directly under their lords- keeping the countryside safe and maintaining the ninjas at bay. "Princess." I hear Kidomaru remark seriously. As he had yet to received the cursed seal from my father, the boy's still the level of an average Genin. "Do your eyes feel like working today?"

"Even if I had enough chakra left in me to use them, I don't believe they'd be much of help here." I hiss back to him, never taking the eyes off the Samurai- who clashes against Tayuya as we speak. My closest friend in this world seems to be having a tough match against the swordsman, even after he'd been severely injured by my Katon. "Go and help her, Kidōmaru. I have a plan, so keep him distracted."

"Don't get us killed, baka-hime." The older Genin snickers, before dashing towards the man- tossing kunai and shuriken at him before going for close quarters combat.

'As if.' With I grin, I begin to prepare for a decisive move against the wrinkled warrior. Channeling whatever chakra I have left onto my feet, I conceal myself with basic Genjutsu before starting a slow climb an old, large pine tree. 'I hope this works.'

Once reaching the lowest branch, I silently observe the battle bellow me. Tayuya keeps engaging the man with a combination of Ninpou and Taijutsu, blocking off his attacks with growing difficulty- as she's about as tired as I am; Kidōmaru, on the other hand, prefers to keep his distance and constantly tries to incapacitate the man's legs with projectiles.

'Wait…wait…' Using the last drop of my exhausted reserves, I form a bad imitation of Kabuto's scalpel. While certainly not as precise as his, I'm sure a cut from my version could cause quite a lot of damage- if the right muscles were severed. '…now!'

Practically throwing myself down upon the Samurai's back, I lash at his back with the scalpel, using it to sever any muscle I could reach in my position. The man lets out a bestial roar of pain, and shrugs me off him in a brusque movement.

But the damage had already been made. With his shoulder muscles dilacerated, and many tendons and nerves severed, the man's arm falls limply to his side.

No words could properly describe the smirk that forms on my lips when the man's sword hits the ground. If I were to use my artistic sense, I'd say it was the physical manifestation of Asmodeus' lust for blood.

"Well, well~" With a giggle that would fit perfectly in 'The 120 Days of Sodom ', I slowly make my way towards the incapacitated man until mere centimeters separate us. "Seems like my new toy has yet to break~"

"Oi, Kannon." Tayuya walks up to my side and places her hand on my shoulder. "There's no time to play. There may be reinforcements coming after him as we speak…"

"Hmpf…fine." With a cute pout- one of the many girly expressions I managed to learn in this last four years- I pull out my kunai. Turning my eyes back to the man, I lower myself to his eye level- placing my blade under his neck. "You're lucky I'm in a hurry. I'm not one to give out quick deaths."

I don't even need to look to know Kidōmaru turns pale like a ghost when hearing the casual tone in which I say those words.

* * *

_Otogakure- Main Base._

Where I come from, chakra is a very ancient spiritual concept of Hinduism- with each of them being part of the subtle body; they were believed to be embedded within the actual physical body, whilst originating within the context of mental and spiritual fields. Here…here, however, things are slightly different: in this world conceived by the mind of a very creative mangaka, chakra is a form of mystical vital energy produced by every individual. Basically, it has the most diverse functions- including jutsus- and without it, a person dies.

Of course there's much more information about chakra, yet I hadn't paid too much attention to the series- and even my photographic memory can't help me with this.

The fact is: manipulating this power is not as complicated as I expected it to be…

I sit down in silence at my room, eyes closed in meditation. An open scroll lies in front of me, containing a new jutsu Orochimaru's instructed me to learn. 'Now, let's try it again.'

Fūton or Wind Release - one of the five basic "natures" of chakra- is basically the ability to manipulate air. While very strong against Lighting, Wind-based Ninjutsu serves mostly as a fuel to my Katon- hence why Orochimaru insists on me learning how to use it.

"I see you're still trying." I hear a voice playfully remark, and open my eyes to see Tayuya leaning against my bedroom's door. After having her wounds treated by Kabuto after the battle, the older kunoichi looks fresh and ready for action- wearing one of my shirts combined with loose cotton pants. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Kannon-chan. Else…"

Without further warning, Tayuya playfully tackles me to the ground- before she starts rubbing her cheek against mine.

"…I'll not be able to play with this soft body of yours!"

"Gee…Tayu, you're weird." Is my response- which, as usual, is accompanied by a sigh. "What if someone walks in?"

"Then I'll just tell them you're feeding me with your cuteness~"

Strangely, the closest thing I have to an actual friend in this world is Tayuya- who has yet to join the Sound Four. As one of the few girls in Otogakure, the older girl was initially cold towards me (as she seems to be towards everyone else), believing me to be an arrogant prodigy like any other- yet eventually warmed up, and began showering my person with her…peculiar affection.

By mimicking some of her traits when she acted like this, I managed to further improve my…girly ways.

"Anyways, how long have you been trying this new jutsu of yours?" The girl inquires with a small grin, letting go of me before taking a seat on the floor.

"Since we returned from that raid." Despite the problems with the Samurai, our little expedition had been a great success- and the village in question paid the owed tribute without any further resistance. Satisfied with the outcome and knowing full well we deserved a good rest, Kabuto had decided to grant us an entire week as free time. "With the bonus that my body feels **great **now…"

With the deleterious effects of the surgery now gone, I could feel the great changes my body had undergone. If I were just _half _as flexible as I am in this body back home, the Cirque du Soleil would have hired me as their main star- that is a given.

A pity I wasn't born with the same powers as Kannon in my previous life. Life would have been much easier.

"You know, Kannon-chan. I envy you sometimes."

"Why's that? I thought you were my best friend, Tayu~"

"You're smart, talented and beautiful. No wonder why you're Master Orochimaru's favorite." She then taps my forehead with her index. "Nee, how do you feel? About that fight, I mean…"

"We underestimated him. I had exhausted my chakra reserves before, and was winded by the surgery. Kidōmaru seemed to be having fun seeing me struggle…" I must confess it was hard to hold the laughter back when I saw Tayuya's scowl. "You did the most against him. Without you there, I don't know what would have happened."

"You would have won anyways you sadistic bitch~"

"Sadistic? Me?" I inquire, batting my eyelids innocently- yet another girly gesture I've struggled to learn. Sadistic? Perhaps, I'm more of a neutral character instead. "To hear you think so low of me, Tayu~"

We continue having our casual chat for a few minutes, before Kabuto walks into the room- not even bothering to knock on the door.

"Don't you know how to knock, Kabu-chii?"

"My apologies, Princess Kannon." Harry Potter replies with a slight bow, though the smirk he wears on his face show how serious he truly is. "But I came to warn you of Master Orochimaru's return."

"Was the mission I success? The one to the Land of Hot Water, I mean…"

"You should ask the Master personaly. He's summoning you to his presence, after all." He was about to turn to leave, but stops- returning his gaze to me before adding. "We have a visitor, so you should probably take a bath and put on…" the older boy then indicates my gown with a gesture. "…proper clothes for the occasion."

"I'll help~" I hear Tayuya cheerfully state behind me. I could almost see the light in her eyes at the prospective of groping me. "Come on, Kannon-chan. You'd better not leave the Master waiting."

And it is at moments like this, that I miss being a man **so much**.

* * *

Thunder makes itself heard in the darkness of the night.

The white woman had come for me again that night. Possibly the only figure in this world capable of making my calculating mind lose its usual serenity, she visits my dreams in nights of heavy rain- as if only to keep me awake through the night.

My gaze is lost at the forests surrounding my hiding, as I- already knowing sleep would not come to me today- try to recollect the meeting earlier that day.

I used to think of myself as evil- until I personally met Sasori of the Red Sand.

While the manga gave off quite a lot of detail about his disturbed, sociopathic personality- in part, derived from the loss of his parents during a War- yet meeting the man in person was an entirely different experience.

As I had tea with him and father- in a ceremony somewhat similar to my neighborhood's tea parties- the man's personality slowly unveiled before me.

While his true face was hidden inside a puppet- Hiruko is its name I believe- I could take in bits of his true nature from the smallest of details in his talking. Much like myself, Sasori seemed to have denied the existence of many meaningful aspects of life, including morality and goals. His words were carefully measured, even when he talked to his supposed partner about a mission; he seemed to have little patience, however, much like his cannon counterpart…

Yet the climax had yet to come- when father decided to leave me alone to tend to our "guest". Probably as a test for my court abilities, in case I needed to infiltrate a palace or pleasure house as a kunoichi.

This time, Sasori's attention laid entirely upon my person.

'Girl' was what he called me. The legendary puppet master of Sunagakure probably thought me too inferior to him to even bother about my name.

We talked for about an hour, before he finally decided to leave. At first, Sasori asked for details about the hideout- mostly its location and specifics, stating it would be an useful base for the Akatsuki. 'As if I would fall for that…'

"_**You are an Uzumaki, aren't you?**__" _He inquired in the deep and hoarse voice he used when speaking through Hiruko. Having probably noticed I wouldn't tell him much about the hidden village itself, he seemed to have decided to ask about me instead. _"__**I thought your clan to be dead decades ago. How come you became Orochimaru's possession?**__"_

"_I'm not one of your creations, Sasori-dono."_ Was my polite, yet slightly cold response. While Orochimaru's intentions with me are mostly unpredictable- besides his desire to use me as his vanguard against Konoha- I have no intention of living this new life of mine as his toy/new body. He trained me as his strongest disciple, and that was all. _"Father told me much about your…puppets. I hope to achieve such skill one day."_

"_**Huh? So he told you about me? Tell me more.**__"_

"_Well, to start things off…" _I flash him a small grin._ "…why don't you show me your true face? I've heard your hair is the color of blood like mine *giggle*"_

"_**You're smarter than I thought, girl. Very well, since you already know, I'll show you my face**__…"_

In a puff of smoke, the large, hunched body of Hiruko fades away- in its place, sits a young man, dressed in the same Akatsuki robe as the puppet. With the same looks as his series counterpart, the true Sasori has wide, dark brown eyes and shaggy red hair- which, if not for his chakra signature, could have passed him as an Uzumaki like the one whose body I possess. His face is plain- the idea poker face- and devoid of any emotion.

Unlike me, he didn't need to wear the mask of a little girl of almost seven.

"_Red indeed. Might I say it, you are quite good looking, Sasori-dono." _I compliment with a giggle, despite feeling the cringe inside me. Calling a man who had not only a wire, but the whole essence of Caligula inside his rotten soul _handsome_\- of all things- sounded something only a silly girl would do. Little girls my age aren't that smart, though, so…

"_Pretty words for a little crimson hummingbird. I wonder if Orochimaru was the one who taught you to sing so well."_

"_Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Why don't you ask him instead?"_

"_Because you are here, little one." The puppet-man then sips from the hot, honeyed tea. I can't help but think how he processes that- in a puppet body, I mean. One of the things chakra allowed were anatomic modifications which are quite impossible to understand- especially with a mentality of a normal human physician. "What more has your Father told you about me, __**Uzumaki-hime**__?"_

The air in the room seemed to freeze for some seconds. Now Sasori was actually interested in my person- as evidenced by the emphatic tone he used on my name. His hollow eyes stare down at me with the curiosity of a tactician- a puppet master, staring at a potential doll. _'I'll have to be careful.'_

"_Father doesn't tell me much about the Akatsuki." _I lie with an innocent smile. While Orochimaru did tell me about some of the members- especially when comparing me to them- I had little info upon the organization's activities. All in all, I'd say my level of intelligence about the nukenin was reasonable at best. _"He told me you're strong, however. Especially when using the Third Kazekage."_

For some seconds, Sasori merely stares back at me in complete silence. He seems to study my words thoroughly, though no glimpse of surprise makes itself known on his expressions.

I knew from a special that he was the one who fought against my "father" when the latter began probing the Akatsuki. If I remember things correctly, Sasori **did **beat Orochimaru in this battle- though the Sannin was purposely holding back with the intention of stealing Pain's Rinnegan_. "Oh, so you know about the Kazekage as well?" _The man finally rebukes with cocked brows._ "You seem to be sharper than any kunoichi of your age, at least the ones I've met. Are you even a Genin yet?"_

"_Officially, no. Though I do have some skill. At least that's what people say~"_I wouldn't tell much about my skills- especially when **that **was concerned. I had yet to learn how to control it, so it'd be wiser to keep it secret for the moment._ "I'm still under training, however."_

"_I see…"_

The rest of the visit follows in comfortable silence. I serve him some more tea, which Sasori accepts with quiet nods- as he silently studies my movements and, most probably, my chakra. One did not need to be a skilled sensor to evaluate an Uzumaki's chakra- the clan I was reborn in seemed to have very strong life force, after all. Besides that, Uzumaki women seemed to be especially fit to becoming Jinchūriki, with their exceptionally powerful chakra.

I only hoped his interest didn't go **too **far.

I'd rather not become a puppet, after all.

When his curiosity finally seems to be sated, Sasori gets up from his seat- Hiruko's armor forming immediately around him, complete with Akatsuki robe and hat.

"_I'll be taking my leave now. The clouds are turning dark, and I'd rather not spend the night here because of rain." _He then turns to leave- moving in slow steps, as he usually did when wearing the puppet-armor. While internally sighing in relief, I made sure to make my expression relatively…disappointed for his leaving._ "I appreciated our talk, Uzumaki-hime. Farewell."_

"_Are you sure you won't want to stay the night, Sasori-dono? Father could provide you with the accommodations." _I extend the invitation with a polite smile-like the older kunoichi once taught me.

"_No. However…" _The Puppet Master then turns his menacing eyes back to me. Hiruko is a very ugly thing, especially when looked up close, and though a bit shorter than me- looked quite scary._ "...should you take interest in the Art, you know where to go. You seem to have the control needed to master it, after all..."_

Hiruko's scorpion-like tail then slowly makes its way towards me, stopping barely millimeters before my left eye._ "…you managed to keep whatever there is in your eyes hidden from me. As expected from an Uzumaki, I presume."_

No further words are said, and Sasori leaves as silently as he'd arrived.

And- deep in my mind- I couldn't help but wonder what would the other members of the Akatsuki be like in person.

* * *

_**Chapter End**_

**A/N: That's it, I guess. Again, a chapter of medium length- as it makes it easier to update. **

**There are no planned pairings, and I don't think any will happen until much later in the story. My inspiration was the Saga of Tanya the Evil, after all- and this MC's supposed to be an agent of chaos.**

**Thank you for reading Reverse, and don't forget to leave your thoughts on the reviews.**

**Listening to: Relaxing Piano music.**

**Doing: Studying about Ischemic Stroke in the Cerebellar Arteries.**

**Status: Tired, I guess.**

**Wildfurion**


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